The Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications program prepares students for careers that help develop other people, organizations, and communities to solve real-world problems. Our students graduate prepared to lead, teach, and communicate to the world about issues relating to food, human development, and the environment.

Our Faculty

Anna Ball

Associate Dean for Academic Programs

Anna Ball joined the Office of Academic Programs as the Associate Dean in August, 2019. Ball is a teacher educator, recognized for her research in innovative teaching practice. She is a Fellow in the American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE), has received the AAAE Outstanding Researcher Award, and the Outstanding Agricultural Educator Award for her scholarship in her discipline. As an award-winning teacher, she's been recognized numerous times for her innovative teaching methodologies including the University of Missouri College of Agriculture Food and Natural Resources Outstanding Senior Teaching Award, the Gold Chalk Award for graduate education, and the USDA Excellence in College and University Teaching Award for the North Central Region.

Amy Leman 

Assistant Professor

Dr. Leman advances the understanding of effective strategies for teaching and learning in both K-12 classrooms and out-of-school time programs in community settings. Her work is informed by her background as a 4-H youth development educator and belief in youth empowerment.

Eric Morgan 

Associate Professor

Dr. Morgan’s research focuses on cultural discourses of environment. Specifically, he is interested in how people across cultures construct meaning about land, land-use, water, agriculture, and environment through communication. Dr. Morgan also researches how science is communicated with a focus on the science/public interface.

Gary Ochs 

Instructor

Mr. Ochs helps students achieve post-college success in agricultural education careers. He works with students to obtain teacher licenses and plan coursework, and coordinates outreach to new or potential students. Student rapport is the backbone of what he does as he works with students inside and outside the classroom.

Owen Roberts 

Lecturer

Dr. Roberts focuses on practical and theoretical aspects of agricultural communications and agricultural journalism locally, nationally, and globally. He employs experiential learning approaches in the classroom and is dedicated to preparing students for the workforce and for graduate studies.

Jennifer Smist 

Instructor

Dr. Smist helps students develop their capacity to address complex challenges and achieve their leadership potential. As the coordinator of the popular Minor in Leadership Studies, her teaching focuses on the foundations of effective leadership: self-awareness, interpersonal communication, and strategies for leading organizations and communities.